DAWN

     Explanation: In Psalm 35 David pleads with the LORD to vanquish his enemies. In the midst of the plea, David states his case against his foes. The occasion for the Psalm is unknown; but the two most troublesome times in David's life came at the hands of Saul and of Absalom. This Psalm is one of several Imprecatory Psalms (see the next section). An imprecation is a call for judgment. Actually, all of the Psalms, except two which may have been parts of nearby Psalms, have imprecatory elements. Those which are called Imprecatory feature the imprecatory elements more fully than the other Psalms.
     The painting above reflects David's desire that the LORD would go to war against David's enemies.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: 1 Samuel 19-31. 2 Samuel 15-18. IMPRECATORY PSALMS: Psalm 5. Psalm 10. Psalm 17. Psalm 35. Psalm 58. Psalm 59. Psalm 69. Psalm 70. Psalm 79. Psalm 83. Psalm 109. Psalm 129. Psalm 137. Psalm 140. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). Psalm 35. ]

     David asks the LORD to plead his cause and to fight against those who strive against him. He asks the LORD to arm himself and to be David's salvation. Conversely, he asks that the LORD would put his enemies to shame, turn them back, and put them to confusion. He asks that they be like chaff before the wind; and he asks the Angel of the LORD to chase them. He asks that their way would be dark and slippery because they have spread a net and dug a pit to trap David without cause. He asks that destruction would come upon them unawares and that they would be caught in their own net and pit. When this happens, David will be joyful in the LORD and will rejoice in his salvation. He will acknowledge that no one is like the LORD who delivers the poor from the spoilers who are too strong for him (1-10).
     David makes these requests because of the evil things which his enemies did to him, God's anointed king -- and therefore, what they did to God. They falsely accused him. They rewarded him evil for good, injuring his soul. But, when they were sick, David prayed for them with sackcloth and fasting. He treated them as if they had been a friend or a brother. He mourned in heaviness. But when adversity came to David, they rejoiced and gathered together secretly against him, thinking to tear him to pieces. And they did not cease. In feasts, they, and their hypocritical, mocking friends, gnashed upon David with their teeth -- an image which means that they were so angry with David that they, as it were, ground their teeth together (11-16).
     In light of these things, David asks how long God will look on. He asks him to rescue his soul from destruction, from the lions. And, when God delivers him, he will give thanks; and he will and praise to him in the great congregation. He asks, therefore, that his enemies will not wrongfully rejoice over him and mock him without cause. They do not speak peace. They devise deceit. They opened their mouth against David (perhaps being ready to "devour" him); and they were so sure of themselves that they proclaimed victory over David. But David acknowledges that the LORD has seen all of this; and he asks him not to keep silent and not to be far from him. He asks the LORD to judge his cause in accord with his righteousness and not to allow his enemies to rejoice over him. He pleads that they might not be able to say that they have swallowed him up. He asks that shame, confusion, and dishonor would come upon them. As for those who favor his righteous cause, David asks that they might shout for joy and be glad. He asks that they might enter into a time of constant praise to the LORD for the help which he gave David. And, as for David, he promises to speak of God's righteousness and praise him all the day long (17-28).

Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
² Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
³ Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
⁴ Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
⁵ Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
⁷ For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
⁸ Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
⁹ And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
¹⁰ All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

¹¹ False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
¹² They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
¹³ But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
¹⁴ I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
¹⁵ But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
¹⁶ With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

¹⁷ Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
¹⁸ I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
¹⁹ Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
²⁰ For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
²¹ Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
²² This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
²³ Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
²⁴ Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
²⁶ Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
²⁷ Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
²⁸ And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

¹ To the chief Musician [Transposed From Psalm 36:1 ] *

* NOTE: On Opening and Closing Comments in the Psalms.
[Some commentators take the Psalm in Habakkuk 3 to be a standard model for the Psalms.
Habakkuk's Psalm begins with the name of the composer (Habakkuk) and a musical notation ("upon Shigionoth").
It closes with a dedication or a "send to" notice ("To the chief singer on my stringed instruments").
I have arranged similar material, where it is found in the Psalter, in accord with the model in Habakkuk.]